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Clerks III

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Matt Zimmer
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Clerks III

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Dante was a very hard character to like in the first two Clerks films. But he's totally sympathetic here and his grief over Becky is real in a way the franchise usually isn't. But unfortunately, they made Randall the unlikable person in the movie, and as far as I'm concerned his sins are far greater than Dante's ever were.

This is obviously the last Clerks movie, and I would not be surprised if it was also the last Jay and Silent Bob movie too and Smith lets the franchise end here. So it troubles me that Dante's death is preceded by a heartfelt and TRUE "Why you suck" speech to Randall, that he has no opportunity to walk back outside of the Heavenly movie theater in his mind. Randall is an absolute unfeeling jerk throughout the entire movie. I don't like the movie leaving his situation with Dante off on such a sad note. I don't want to feel sympathy for him after his selfish behavior.

The movie is not as interesting as the first Clerks (but then none of Kevin Smith's other movies are) but it's miles better than the second, and sort of distinguishes itself out of the trilogy by having the kind of heart and pathos seen in Chasing Amy, and not too many other films in the continuity. The ending was unduly sad. And it being so means I really hope Smith doesn't back down from it and do another silly Jay and Silent Bob sequel. I think this specific ending means Smith needs to commit to the View Askewniverse ending here. That's clearly the intention. Smith needs to stick with it this time. And I'm thinking Dante's death is less to satisfy fans of the movies, and more as a way for him to close the door on him being tempted to go back to his old haunts when he's running out of ideas. I don't like that ending. But if it IS the actually end of the film Universe anchored by Jay and Silent Bob, I'll still respect it.

Is the movie actually funny? I didn't really think so. I also question what the clips of the original Clerks were meant to signify as to what Dante was watching before he died. Were they literal? How does that work? If not, why does Randall talk about this being how HE sees Dante and their life? Good excuse for classic clips, bad example of illogical plot holes.

Randall can't do better in the eulogy than saying Dante wasn't even supposed to be here today. Arguably Dante's death is the wrong place to leave the franchise. But that was the right note to leave Dante's death on. I get Smith killed him to resist future temptation. But that line was him killing him the right way at least. That was a fine final thought in a eulogy and almost 30 years in the making.

I liked it. But the truth is Smith hasn't really made a GREAT film in a long time. It's probably for the best he's retiring this continuity. ***1/2.

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